The year 2025 was a banner year for investors, with the S&P 500 rallying 16.39% driven by enthusiasm for artificial intelligence. However, 2026 is off to a rocky start, with global markets and investors already grappling with a major geopolitical flare-up: the U.S.' attack on Venezuela. The situation is still developing, but here's a rundown to bring you up to speed. The oil question: President Donald Trump said the U.S.' oil companies will invest in Venezuela's energy sector. An oil consulting firm said Petróleos de Venezuela, the South American nation's state-owned oil company, still 'controls the majority of the oil production and reserves'. And analysts think crude prices should remain steady in the near term. The foreign policy front: Analysts think the U.S. strike on Venezuela, despite its apparent display of forceful interference in another country, will not embolden China to do the same with regard to Taiwan. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederikse is taking no chances with Trump. On Sunday, following the attack, she cautioned the U.S. to 'stop the threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people who have said very clearly that they are not for sale'. It's a lot to take in for the first Monday of 2026 - for now, we'll have to wait for the U.S. to wake up for updates on their front. And finally... A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is prepared for launch carrying NASA's IMAP mission, which will study the boundary of the sun's heliosphere and other scientific payloads, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Sept. 23, 2025.
